Apparatus for mixing materials



Jan. 20, 1931. C, QVERBURY I 1,789,320 r APPARATUS FOR MIXING MATERIALS Original Filed bee. 7 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 li /9 L Jan. 20, 1931. F. c. OVERBURY 1,789,320

I APPARATUS FOR MIXINGMATERIALS I Original Filed Dec. 7, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet '2 Patented, Jan. 20, 1931 UNITED STATES FREDERICK C. OVERBURY; OF HILLSIDALE PATENT OFFICE NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE FLINT- APPARATUS FOR MIXING MATERIALS Application filed December 7, 1925, Serial No.'73,609.' Renewed January 16, 1980.

This invention relates to process and ap-* paratus for mixing materials, and refers more particularly to a process and apparatus 5 for producing emulsions. and mixtures there- -'5' of, and is more specifically directed to a device in which relatively large quantities of emulsion and mixtures thereof can be produced, with a high rate of production. The invention is also designed to accommodate a plurality of streams of material undergoing simultaneous emulsification. By dividing these streams instead of introducing a combined stream, better emulsification and finer dispersion will result. The apparatus is also designed to provide better means of controlling the temperatures than may be affected' with present types of apparatus.

The present application is in part an improvement on theprocess and apparatus described in co-pending application filed jointly in the name of Frederick C. Overbury and Lester Kirschbraun, Serial No. 343,392on December 9th, 1919.

Briefly, the improvements in the present invention comprise a plurality of open ended mixing or emulsifying conduits preferably equi-spaced from each other and supportedin an enlarged chamber in which a bulk supply of the end product is maintained. Agitating elements are mounted in the individual conduits, each conduit having separate inlets for the materials tote mixed or emulsi-n fied therein.

3 cross sectional view of the improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1, eliminating the gears and bearing support therefor, for the sake of clearness- Fig. 3 is a cross sectional side elevational view of a somewhat modified type of apparatus.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, 1 designates a main chamber or vessel for containing a bulk supply of the end product having aclosed base 2 and open to the atmosphere at its upper end. A plurality of open ended conduits are mounted within the vessel 1, their lower open ends being spaced away from the base 2 and supported by means of the supports 4, and their upper ends dis posed below the normal level ofthe bulk sup--' In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic terial' ply of end product in the container. There may be any number of these open ended conduits 3 preferably equi-spaced from each other. The conduits are preferably pro-" 'vided with jackets 5 for-the purpose of per- ".understood of course, that there may be any number of these propeller or agitator blades and that they may be spaced at varying dis tances from each other, although itis-pref erable to provide propeller'blades having an upward pitch: The'enlarged 'gear7 isadapted to mesh with thesmal-lpinion gears 9 t0 drive the propeller shafts '10. One of these propeller shafts 10 is mounted in each of the conduits 3 and-is also provided intermediate its lengthflwith propellergior agitator .7 blades 11.; 7 The container 1 is also provided with a jacket 12 for theintroduction of a cooling or' heating medium. The bearings 13 for the shafts6 and 10 may be supported on the bracket support. 14 mounted above the container'.

The particular form of drive shown, constitut'es' amechanical advantage over present t'vpes of e'quipment, in that the main driving 'sliaft 6 need not operate at as high a speed asjthe. auxiliary driving shafts 10, being regulated by the ratio between gears 7 and 9. The propellers 11 on the shafts 10 are so disposed and pitched as to force introduced 1 thereto downwardly through the conduits 3 and upwardly in the direction of the arrows into the space between the conduits 3 and the walls of the .container'l. The propeller blades 8 on the 95 other hand are pitched so as to cause an upward flow of the mixture between the conduits 3, particularly in the central section between said conduits. In this central s ace referred to, and disposed circumferentially the ma- I about the sha-ft fi'is placed a coil adapted quantities of the waterproofing material be introduced through the pipe through the pipe jacket 5 in the last conduit.

insulating the mass action. In order therefore, to assist this 15 and the jackets 5' to have circulated therethrough a heating or cooling medium in order to regulate and.

maintam a predetermined or efiicient operating temperature within the mass. An inlet pipe 16 communicates 5 for the purpose of introducing the heating or cooling medium, this particular jacket discharging said heating or cooling medium into the cooling coil 15, which cooling coil discharges said heating or cooling medium into another jacket 5, and from this jacket through the connectingpipes 17- into the The heating or cooling medium may then be withdrawn through the discharge pipe 18., It is understood of course, that the travel and circulation of the heating or cooling medium described, is purely diagrammatic, and that any other means of introducing said cooling or heating medium may be employed.

One of the objections to the present types of mixing and emulsifying equipment of the general character desciibed where a heavy pasty product is manufactured, is the difiiculty of maintaining a predetermined range of low temperatures where such low'temperatures .are required. A considerable amount of heat is generated in the present types of equipment due to friction of the propeller, and it becomes difiicult to absorb this heat partially for the reason that the pasty mass in flowing along the walls of the vessel 1. tends to deposit on said walls by the cooling action of thewall andth'ereby from further cooling cooling action, the coils and 12 are provided so that by the propulsive action of propellers 8 the mixed mass is caused to flow constantly between and about the coils 15.

. The mixer is provided with the drawofi 19 which may be provided with the knife valve or gate 20, and a plurality of pipes 21 and 22 1 are provided discharging into each oithe conduits 3, preferably two for each conother or others may be used merely as a secondary mixing device by refraining from introducmg any new materials to be emulsified.

with one of the jackets 'tus shown and described Also, the present invention contemplates the simultaneous emulsification of two or more difierent types of waterproofing material, for example, in one or more conduits, one type of waterproofing material such for instance, as asphalt, may be undergoing emulsification while simultaneously. in another or others, a different type of waterproofing materialsuch for instance, as a resinous pitch may be undergoing emulsification, so that *the finished product will have difierent constituents as its internal phase. It is also obvious that the differentconduits may be supplied with different types of emulsifying agent'such as different kinds of clay, bentonite or other colloid. The addition of va-- rious fillers, coloring agents and fibres may also be made by employing one or more of the conduits 3 for this purpose. while emulsification is taking place in an adjacent conduit or conduits. Y

Now briefly describing Fig. 3, the apparatus there described, is similar to theapparain Figs. 1 and 2, including as part ofthe mixing unit an additional mixing chamber23 in which rotates the driving shaft 24 provided with the propeller or agitator blades 25 and'having a sprocket 26 at its upper end, which sprocket is driven by means of the sprocket chain 27 meshin t with a similar sprocket 28 mounted on the hearing 4 of shaft 6. The mixed or emulsified mass will flow upwardly into the space 29 and eventually over the wall of the conduit 23. Fillers, pigments, fibres and other materials may be introduced to the conduit 23 through the inlet pipe 30, the intermediate mixture being agitated and thoroughly incorporated together by meansof the propeller blades 35 in this auxiliary conluo duit 23 and withdrawn through the outlet 19 controlled by valve 20.

By the use of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3, it is possible to roduce as a continuous operation, an emulsified mixture containing a filler or pigment, or the'like.

"no It 1s under-v stood of course, that I do not wish to-limit myself to the manufacture'of emulsions, as the process and apparatus may be advantageously employed for producing dispersions and emulsions of various types, and is also adapted for preparing many other products in which it becomes necessary to mix a plurality of ingredients at substantially the same time, or 1n substantially the same place. It will be apparent that by providing a plurality of small conduits 3, the invention lends itself not only to a simple emulsification and mixing, but further to additional admixtures with other materials, while undergoing emulsification. I

For example, in using the present invention for producing emulsion paints, one or more of the conduits 3 may be used to produce an emulsion, that is, such conduits may receive regulated quantities of colloid and paint base whilethei other conduits may receive regulated quantities of pigment in aqueous suspension.

The present invention is particularly directed to either continuous or batch operation.

The present invention utilizes one of the principles of the co-pending application referred to, namely that the mixing of fresh charges of material should take place in the presence of a bulk supply of previously formed end product, in order to produce the most satisfactory results.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with an enlarged container for holding a bulk supply of end product, of a plurality of open ended conduits disposed in said container below the normal level of said bulk supply, agitating elements individual to each conduit, charging means communicating with each conduit for introducing materials to be mixed, means for efiecting passage of material from said bulk supply to said conduits, and means for withdrawing regulated quantities of the mixed end product from the bulk supply.

2..In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a container for holding a bulk supply of the mixed end product, of a plurality of open ended conduits disposed in said container below the duits disposed in said container below the normal level of said bulk supply, inlets in-- dividual to each conduit for introducing fresh charges of materials to be mixed, agitator elements mounted in each conduit adapted to force the mass therein downwardly, separate agitating means positioned in the open central space between the conduits adapted to impart an upward movement to the bulk supply, and means for withdrawing regulated quantities of the mixed product, said separate agitating means being adapted to rotate at a relatively lower speed than the agitating elements in the conduits.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with an enlarged container for holding a bulk supply of end product, of a plurality of separated mixing zones disposed therein, charging means communicating with each separate mixing zone for introducing fresh charges of materials to be mixed, means for causing admixture of material from said bulk supply with said fresh charges, and means for withdrawing regulated quantities of the mixed end product from the bulk supply.

FREDERICK C. OVERBURY.

normal level of said bulk supply, agitating elements individual to each conduit, ch arging means communicating with each conduit for introducing materials to be mixed, means for transferring material from said bulk supply to said conduits, means for withdrawing regulated quantities of the mixed end product, and means for regulating the temperature of the bulk supply and th ma terials being mixed, including a closed conduit through which is passed a heating or cooling medium, positioned in the bulk supply.-, 1

3. In an apparatus for producmg dispersions, the combination with a container for holding a bulk supply of mixed end product, of a plurality of equi-spaced open ended conduits disposed in said container below the normal level of said bulk supply, in-

4. In an apparatus for producing dispersions, the combination with a container for 2 holding a bulk supply of mixed end product,

- of a plurality of equi-spaced open ended con- 

